The first folding fan made of planks and special strong paper was created in Japan. Actors of traditional theatres, samurais and monks used it while dancing, praying and even fighting. In the baroque epoch the fan became an object of luxury. Renowned masters decorated fans with the fragments of famous paintings or with subjects bearing secret meaning. This accessory in the hands of a fashionable lady became a convenient means of flirting. In the 19th century fans of ostrich feathers became extremely popular gradually turning painted ones into collectors’ items. During defiles haute couture houses often use fans to add elegancy to their models. This is exactly the purpose of this charming souvenir on which you see the fragment of famous painting by Vincent Van Gogh "Lilac Bush" from the Hermitage collection.